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You raise some issues about flying VFR to Key West which I was going to cover as we get closer to the SOAPA meeting, but let me identify them now and we'll review them again in May. BTW, you will want to come in VFR, for maximum sightseeing.
There are only two things noteworthy, and both are shown in the Sectional (figure below).
First, as Pat points out there is a tethered balloon about 20 miles before you get to EYW. It has radars for drug interdiction and is shown as a hashed circle and identified as R2916. It's easy to circumvent just by staying south (or wide north) of the Keys, as Pat indicates. South is prettier.
Second, the Key West Naval Air Station is just 3 or 4 miles before you get to EYW. There is a note on the Sectional alerting you to intensive military flight activity and giving you the freq for EYW approach. Interestingly, when you call Approach you won't be talking to FAA ATC but Navy ATC. They'll assign a squawk code, and route you around the base and then hand you over to the EYW tower. You can come in north or south of the base.
On the matter of fuel, 100LL is now about $2.70 self-serve and $3.00 full service at Marathon, about the same price as TMB in Miami (for those coming into Miami Sunday for the Bahamas trip or Tuesday for the see-Miami-like-a-native stop). It's about $4 at EYW (note, however, that Paul Rooy has negotiated a 24 cent discount for SOAPA attendees and a halving of tie-down price -- from $30 to $15 -- if you fuel up at EYW). Cheaper fuel can be found in Central Florida ($2.40 at ZPH and $2.50 at OBE).
Ernie
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